Device for treating starch-based products

ABSTRACT

A device for treating massage based products such as wafer materials for consumption or for packaging to cool and moisturize the same. The device has a channel through which the product can be moved in which the product path is flanked by a pair of air channels which have openings opposite one another so that the air can pass from one air channel to the other transversely to the direction of displacement of the products in the product channel. The walls between the air channels and the product channels are bearing walls and preferably massive plates having the aforementioned openings. The lining or housing can have removable walls or doors which open to offer access to the air channels and the product channel for cleaning purposes.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a National Stage of PCT/AT 97/00241 filed Nov. 6, 1997 andbased, in turn, upon Austrian National Application A 1931/96 of Nov. 6,1996 under the International Convention.

1. Technical Field

The invention relates to a device for treating starch-based products,such as edible wafer products or biodegradable packaging material, withair for setting a certain humidity content or for cooling the products.This device comprises a machine frame having an outer lining, containingat least one transport device which transports the products through atransport channel outwardly bordered by the outer lining, from acharging station in one or several product tracks through one or morezones to a discharge station. Each zone contains at least two air ductsrunning at least partially parallel to a product track, each having aduct wall provided with air passage openings facing the product track.In each zone air flows from an air duct transversely with respect to thetransport direction of the products, through the product track and intothe other air duct.

2. State of the Art

The treatment of starch-based products with air for setting a certainhumidity content of the products makes it possible to target the productcharacteristics for a certain purpose or a certain variant for furtherprocessing of the treated products. The treatment air which is used canbe heated and humidified inside or outside of the treatment, or heated,humidified and filtered. The treatment is mainly applied to starch-basedproducts. These are for instance thin-walled shaped bodies produced ofgrain flours and/or starch-containing masses. These shaped bodies can beproduced by injection molding or extrusion, or by baking between twomold halves. Examples of such products are edible wafers, such as deepbowls, flat plates, flat shells, trays, flat sheets, etc. such as areknown from the baked-goods, wafer-baking and sweets-producing industry.Other examples of such products are biodegradable packaging materials,such as deep cups, flat plates, flat shells, shallow cups, fast-foodpackaging, trays, flat sheets, etc.

The treatment of starch-based products with air, for cooling of theproducts makes it possible to transform products composed of thin-walledshaped bodies and of spreading masses made spreadable through heatinginto rigid blocks by the hardening of the spread, which subsequently canbe handled or, further processed as massive blocks. Examples of suchproducts are cream-filled wafer blocks, which are used as intermediateproducts in the baked-goods, wafer-baking and sweets-producing industryfor the particular production line and for further processing.

In the production of biodegradable packaging products made of massescontaining grain flours and/or starch. it is known to use air treatmentfor setting a humidity content of the thin-walled shaped bodies of 6% byweight up to 22% by weight, in order to obtain products which are tough,strong and have a high mechanical stability.

In the sweets-producing industry continuously operating production linesfor the production of small cream-filled and chocolate-covered wafersare known. In these production lines, in automatic baking machineslarge, flat, rectangular wafer sheets are produced, which are baked inthe baking molds of the continuously revolving baking tongs of thewafer-baking machines from a flowable wafer dough consisting mainly ofwater and flour. These wafer sheets leave the respective baking machinein a crunchy, brittle and easily breakable state with a humidity contentof 1% by weight to 2% by weight. These wafer sheets represent anintermediate products of the production line, whose humidity content isincreased in a controlled manner to 4% by weight up to 6% by weight in adevice for treating the wafer sheets with air, which is integrated inthe production line. This increased humidity content should prevent thedetachment of the chocolate coating in chocolate-coated wafers during along storage period.

A known device for treating wafer sheets with air has a conditioningchannel, which has two superimposed treatment zones with twohorizontally positioned product tracks and an endless transport device,which transports the wafers arranged in transport compartments through ahorizontal transport channel and both treatment zones. Another knowndevice for treating wafer sheets with air is a conditioning tower, whichhas two adjacent treatment zones with two vertical product tracks and anendless transport device which transports the wafer sheets lying intransport compartments through a vertical transport channel and bothtreatment zones.

In the product line, the wafer sheets with increased humidity contentare coated on their upper surface with a cream, which was renderedspreadable by heating, and are subsequently layered on each other ingroups, to form cream-filled wafer blocks. Depending on the productionline, wafer blocks covered with cream on their upper side or waferblocks covered on their upper side by an uncoated wafer sheet areformed. These wafer blocks are cooled in a device for the treatment ofwafer blocks with air, in order to harden the spreadable cream and totransform the wafer blocks in compact, rigid blocks.

A known device for the treatment of wafer blocks covered with cream ontheir upper side has a cooling channel, wherein the wafer blocks lyingin a horizontal production track facing upwards with their coated upperside are transported through one or several cooling zones. Another knowndevice for the treatment of wafer blocks covered on the upper side withan uncoated wafer sheet is a wafer cooling press, wherein an endlesstransport device transports the wafer blocks in a closed circuit trackthrough a space surrounded by the outer lining, where in a cooling zonecooled air is circulated.

The cooled and solidified wafer blocks are separated in the respectiveproduction line into many small cube-shaped wafer pieces, which duringtheir further transport are at first separated and then individuallycoated with chocolate. The small cream-filled and chocolate-coveredwafer represent the final product of the respective production line,which is packaged at the end of the production line.

In the known devices used for setting a certain humidity content of theproducts or for cooling the products, the machine frame is mostly arectangular box frame, consisting of horizontal and vertical squarepipes and are provided with an outer heat-insulating lining. Thetransport channel for the products and the air channels of the zonestraversed by humid or cooled air are all arranged inside the box frame.The air channels running parallel to the product track have a channelwall provided with air passage openings facing the product track. Theair channels consist each of several channel segments separated byexpansion joints forming a self-supporting component, which is fastenedto a crossbeam projecting inwards from the box frame. Each air channelis mounted at a distance from the inside of the box frame, so thatbetween the former and the box frame sufficient space is left for a freemovement, which is necessary for the swinging devices of the doors ofthe outer lining.

In the known devices used for setting a certain humidity content of theproducts or for cooling the products, the cleaning and disinfecting isextremely complicated and time-consuming and therefore can be performedonly during long periods of standstill of the entire production line.The effort spent for the cleaning, disinfection and for insuring thatthe known devices are free of germs is substantial since not only theair channels with their numerous expansion joints and air passageopenings, but also inside of the outer lining and all the components andsurface arranged therein, within the inner space of the device, have tobe cleaned, disinfected and kept free from germs. This requirementsextends also to the plate elements and doors of the outer lining overthe box frame with its horizontal and vertical square pipes and thecrossbeams supporting the air channels, including the numerous cornersand gaps formed by the beams, up to the outside and inside of thechannel walls of the individual air channels.

In the known device, before the cleaning and disinfecting of the outsideand inside of the channel walls of the individual air channels can bestarted, it is necessary to first remove the plate elements and doors ofthe outer lining from the box frame, respectively to swing the doors ofthe outer lining completely aside only then can the air channels insidethe box frame be detached from their crossbeams and taken apart in theirseparate channel segments. These have then to be taken out from theinner space of the device, through the horizontal and vertical membersof the box frame consisting of square pipes, before they can be fullytaken apart. Only then do the outer sides and inner sides of all smoothwall segments provided with air passage openings, including allexpansion joints arranged therebetween, become freely accessible.

A known device for setting a certain humidity level of products containsair channels wherein the channel walls are formed by an elongated troughand a lid which covers the open side of the trough and is airtightconnected with the same. Lid and trough define an elongated air channelwith a rectangular cross section which has to be taken out from the boxframe as a unit and again built into the box frame as a unit.

After all separate parts of the air channels have been cleaned anddisinfected, their channel segments have to be assembled outside the boxframe and introduced into the same. Inside the box frame the channelsegments are again put together to form a separate air channels whichare fastened to the cross beams of the box frame. With these veryextensive and time-consuming operations only the air channels arecleaned and disinfected at their outside and inside, but not the boxframe itself with its horizontal and vertical square pipes and its crossbeams supporting the air channels, or the rest of components built intothe box frame, nor the inside of the plate elements and doors of theouter lining.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a device for the treatmentof starch-based products, such as edible wafer products or biodegradablepackaging products with air, for setting a certain humidity content ofthe products or for cooling the products, whose construction simplifiescleaning and disinfection and which reduces the overall dimensions ofthe device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a device for treating starch-based products, such asedible wafer products or biodegradable packaging products with air forsetting a certain humidity content of the products or for cooling theproducts. This device has a machine frame with an outer lining, whichcontains at least one transport device which transports the products atleast in one transport channel bordered on the outside by the externallining, from a charging station in one or more product tracks, throughone or more zones, to a discharge station. Each zone comprises at leasttwo air channels at least partially parallel to a product track, eachhaving a channel wall facing the product track provided with air passageopenings. In each zone air flows from an air channel transversely to thetransport direction of the products through the product track into theother air channel. According to the invention this device ischaracterized in that each zone contains at least two air channels,which are bordered towards the outside by the outer lining and towardsthe inside by the channel wall provided with air passage openings, whichare formed by a bearing wall of the machine frame. At least two of thisbearing walls of the machine frame define between them at least onetransport channel containing at least one product track.

Due to the construction of the invention, the entire device is dividedinto individual transport or air channels, each bordered on the outsideby the external lining, which are separated from each other by channelwalls in which the supporting machine frame is integrated. The inventionallows for a considerably simplified construction, combined with areduction of the number of components and of the space requirements atthe installation site. At the same time the air channels can be widenedby the space which heretofore was occupied by the box frame and theinterstices between the box frame and the air channels. Larger flowcross sections for the air channels can be provided, which with theidentical air throughflow leads to slower air velocity and reduced noisein the air channels, as well as to a reduction of the particlesentrained by the air in the air channels.

When the outer lining is opened, in the device of the invention thetransport, or air channels are open towards the outside and are easilyaccessible for cleaning and disinfecting, which drastically reduces thecleaning and disinfecting effort. Due to the integration of the machineframe in the easily accessible channel walls, in the device of theinvention the number and size of the surfaces to be cleaned anddisinfected are considerably reduced compared to the known devices. Thisis the contribution made by the elimination of the numerous square pipesof a box frame surrounding the air channels and the transport channel onthe outside, with their numerous intersections and undercuts, as well asby the reduction of components of the device.

The construction of the invention is also advantageous in devices fortreating starch-based products with air, when due to the substantialconstruction length or height the device has to be composed of severaldevice segments butting each other via expansion joints. The unavoidableexpansion joints, each requiring a thorough cleaning and disinfection,are easily accessible in the outwardly open transport or air channels,due to the division of the device according to the invention.

According to a further feature of the invention, each bearing wall ofthe machine frame, which with one wall area forms a channel wallequipped with air passage openings of an air channel, is designed as asmooth wall at least in the portion of this wall facing the air channel.This design reduces those locations of the respective air channelwherein particles or bacteria entrained by the treatment air anddistributed throughout the channel can collect.

According to a further feature of the invention each bearing wall of themachine frame, which forms with one wall area a channel wall of the airchannel equipped with air passage openings, is designed as a smooth wallon the side of this wall area facing the air channel and on the side ofthis wall area facing away from the air channel. Due to this design, inthe channel wall with air passage openings located between an airchannel and a transport channel, on the side facing the air channel, aswell as on the side facing the transport channel, it is possible toreduce the locations where particles and bacteria, entrained with thetreatment air and distributed throughout the air channel or transportchannel, can collect.

According to a further feature of the invention, between two bearingwalls of the machine frame, a long-stretched, horizontal transportchannel containing one or more product tracks is arranged and togetherwith the channel walls equipped with the air passage openings forms twoor more air channels.

Due to this construction an elongated device for treating starch-basedproducts is subdivided into separate, substantially transport or airchannels, each outwardly bordered by the external lining, the bearingmachine frame being integrated therein. Such an elongated device can beused for treating of wafer sheets or other flat, thin-walled shapedbodies (e.g. flat cups or flat trays for packaging purposes) with humidair, whereby the products standing in the transport channel aretransported through a single treatment zone, or through two or moresuccessive treatment zones. Such an elongated device can be used forcooling of wafer blocks coated on the upper side with a cream layer,which in the transport channel lie with their uncoated bottom side on aconveyor belt and are transported through a single treatment zone, orthrough two or more successive treatment zones.

According to a further feature of the invention, provided that in thehorizontal transport channel, product tracks arranged one above theother, a horizontal dividing wall is arranged rigidly connecting the twomachine frame bearing walls which form the channel walls equipped withair passage openings of one or more air channels. Due to thisconstruction an additional rigidity of the bearing machine frame isachieved. By means of the horizontal dividing wall the horizontaltransport channel is divided into two or more transport channels, eachextending along a product track.

According to a further feature of the invention, the transport channelcontains product tracks arranged one above the other, each having itsown transport device. This construction makes it possible to modify theamount of simultaneously treated products by including or excluding atransport device or a product track.

According to a further feature of the invention the transport channelhas at least one endless transport device, extending between two producttracks arranged above one another.

According to a further feature of the invention, an enlongatedsubstantially vertical transport channel containing one or more producttracks is arranged between two machine frame bearing walls, which formthe channel walls equipped with air passage openings of two or more airchannels. Due to this design, a device for treating starch-basedproducts shaped like vertical tower is subdivided into separate verticaltransport or air channels, each bordered on the outside by the externallining, which are separated from each other by channel walls integratingthe bearing machine frame. Such a device can be used for treating wafersheets or other flat shaped bodies with humid air, whereby the productslying in transport compartments are transported in the verticaltransport channel through the vertical product tracks and through thethereto assigned treatment zones. Such a device can also be used forcooling of wafer blocks which lying in transport compartments, aretransported in the vertical transport channel through the verticalproduct tracks and the thereto assigned cooling zones.

According to another feature of the invention, between two neighboringproduct tracks, a dividing wall rigidly connects the two machine framebearing walls forming the channel wall equipped with air passageopenings of two or more air channel. Due to this construction, anadditional rigidity of the bearing machine frame is achieved in atower-shaped device of the invention. By means of the vertical dividingwall the vertical transport channel of the tower is divided in twotransport channels, each bordered on the outside by the external lining,each extending along one of the two vertical product tracks.

According to a further feature of the invention in a vertical transportchannel at least one endless transport device for the products isarranged, which extends through two neighboring product tracks and hastransport compartments open towards the outer lining, which on theirinside are bordered by at least one endless belt of the transportdevice. This construction makes it possible to influence in a controlledmanner the relative movements between the transport compartment and thetherein contained products which occur in the upper end segment of thevertical transport channel at the transfer from one product track to theother. The endless belt of the transport device constitutes an internalmobile border of the transport compartments, which becomes effective inthe in the upper segment of the transport channel, when the product inits transport compartment comes into contact with the belt due togravity and is transferred in its transport compartment from thetrailing compartment border to the advancing compartment border.

According to a further feature of the invention the machine framebearing wall forming a channel wall equipped with air passage openingsof an air channel is a massive plate.

According to a further feature of the invention, the machine framebearing wall forming a channel wall equipped with air passages of an airchannel is a massive aluminum plate.

According to a further feature of the invention the outer lining canhave swingably supported doors on the machine frame, at least in theareas where it outwardly borders the air channel, which when closedoutwardly border the respective air channel with their smooth innersides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become morereadily apparent from the following description, reference being made tothe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a device for treating starch-based productswith air, built like a tower;

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross section, parallel to the flat frontside of the tower, through the device of FIG. 1 and along the line A--Ain FIG. 5;

FIG. 4 is a schematic horizontal cross section through the device ofFIG. 1 along the line C--C in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section parallel to the frontal tower sidethrough the device of FIG. 1 along the line B--B in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a detail of FIG. 5 in section;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section through an elongated embodiment of adevice for the treatment of starch-based products with air;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal longitudinal section through the device of FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross section through the device of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross section through a further elongatedembodiment of a device for treating starch-based products with air; and

FIG. 11 is a vertical cross section through a further elongatedembodiment of a device for treating starch-based products with air.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 6 describe an embodiment of a device for treatingstarch-based products with air, which is built like a vertical towerwherein even, flat products are transported lying down through two zoneswhere they are treated with air. The even, flat products can berectangular wafer sheets or square wafer blocks or other starch-basedthin-walled shaped bodies, such as packaging trays or the like.

The products 1 to be treated are fed to the tower 2 from its left side,i.e. in FIGS. 1-4 from the left. The treated products 1 are dischargedfrom the tower 2 on its right side, i.e. in FIGS. 1-4 to the right. Inthe rectangular tower 2, in the left half a first zone 3 and in theright half a second zone 4 are located. In the left tower half a firstvertical product track 3a for the products 1 is located, between a frontand a rear vertical air channel, respectively 3b and 3c of the firstzone 3. In the right tower half a second vertical product track 4a forthe products 1 is arranged between a front and a rear air channel,respectively 4b and 4c of the second zone 4.

Over its height the tower 2 is arranged in several segments and consistsof one end segment 2a resting on the ground, several identical middletower segments 2b and an upper end segment 2c. In the lower end segment2a the charging station 5 assigned to the left tower half and thedischarge station 6 assigned to the right tower half are located. Thefirst product track 3a of the first zone 3 and the two air channels 3band 3c associated therewith extend respectively in the travel directionof products 1 from the charging station 5 through all middle towersegments 2b vertically upwards to the upper end segment of the tower 2.The second product track 4a of the second zone 4 and two air channels 4band 4c associated therewith extend in the travel direction of theproducts 1 from the upper end segment of the tower 2 through all middlesegments 2b vertically downwards to the discharge station 6.

The tower 2 has a bearing machine frame 7 extending vertically throughall tower segments and which has an outer heat insulating lining 8consisting of heat-insulating plates 8a and heat-insulating doors 8beach extending over the height of one tower segment 2a, 2b, 2c. Theplates 8b are detachably fastened to the machine frame 7 and the doors8b are swingably connected with the machine frame 7 or with the plates8a fastened to the machine frame 7.

A front vertical bearing wall 9 of the machine frame 7 extends throughboth halves of the tower 2 and separates the two product tracks 3a, 4afrom the frontal air channels 3b, 4b of the two zones 3, 4. A rearvertical bearing wall 10 of the machine frame 7 also extends throughboth halves of the tower 2 and separates the two product tracks 3a, 4afrom the rear air channels 3c, 4c of the two zones 3, 4. The two walls9, 10 of the machine frame 7 are parallel to each other and rigidlyconnected to each other by a vertical dividing wall 11 of the machineframe 7, which is arranged between the two product tracks 3a, 4a.

Between the front and the rear wall 9, 10 of the machine frame 7 thereis a vertical transport channel which is bordered on its left,respectively right outer side by the plates 8a, respectively by thedoors 8b of the outer lining 8. This transport channel is divided by thedividing wall 11 into a left vertical transport channel, bordered on theinside by the dividing wall 11 and open to the outside towards theexternal lining 8, wherein the first product track 3a is received, andinto a right vertical transport channel bordered on the inside by thedividing wall 11 and open to the outside towards the external lining 8,wherein the second product track 4a is received.

The front wall 9 of the machine frame has a first wall area 9a whichprojects into the left half of the tower 2 and is provided with airpassage openings 12. This wall area 9a constitutes the frontal borderwall of the left transport channel and at the same time a channel wallequipped with air passage openings 12, which borders on the inside thefrontal air channel 3b of the zone 3. The front wall 9 of the machineframe 7 projects further with a second wall area 9b provided with airpassage openings 13 into the right half of the tower 2. This wall area9b forms the frontal border wall of the right transport channel, as wellas the channel wall equipped with air passage openings 13, which bordersthe frontal air channel 4b of the second zone 4 towards the inside. Thelaterally adjacent frontal air channels 3b, 4b of the two zones 3, 4 arebordered towards the outside, i.e. towards the front and the left andright sides of the tower 2 by the plates 8a, respectively doors 8b ofthe external lining 8. Between the front air channels 3b, 4b of thezones 3, 4 a vertical dividing wall 14 is arranged, which reachesforward from the front wall 9 of the machine frame 7 to the outer lining8 or its doors 8b.

The rear wall 10 of the machine frame 7 projects with a first wall area10a equipped with air passage openings 15 into the left half of thetower 2. This wall area boa forms the rear delimiting wall of the lefttransport channel and at the same time forms a channel wall equippedwith air passage openings 15, which inwardly borders the rear airchannel 3c of the first zone 3. Further the rear wall 10 of the machineframe 7 projects with a second wall area 10b equipped with air passageopenings 16 into the right half of the tower 2. This wall area 10b formsthe rear delimiting wall of the right transport channel and at the sametime forms a channel wall equipped with air passage openings 16, whichinwardly borders the rear air channel 4c of the second zone 4. Thelaterally adjacent rear air channels 3c, 4c of the two zones 3, 4 arebordered towards the outside, i.e. towards the rear and the left andright side of the tower 2 by plates 8a, respectively doors 8b of theouter lining 8. Between the rear air channels 3c, 4c of the two zones 3,4, a vertical dividing wall 17 is arranged, which reaches rearward fromthe rear wall 10 of the machine frame 7 up to the outer lining 8,respectively its doors 8b.

At the charging station 5 the flat products 1 are introduced lying downinto the transport compartments 18 of an endless transport device 19,which moves the products 1 upwards in a left transport channel throughthe first product track 3a, and moves them downwards in the righttransport channel through the second product track 4a to the dischargestation 6, where the products are delivered lying down. The transportcompartments 18 are respectively delimited by a flat frame 20 precedingthe transport compartment in the travel direction and a flat frame 20'trailing the transport compartment in travel direction. The flat frames20 have horizontal crossbeams 20a in the neighborhood of the dividingwall 11. These are fastened with their front ends to an endless linkchain 21 in the neighborhood of the front wall 9 of the machine frame 7and with their rear ends in a link chain 22 in the neighborhood of therear wall 10 of the machine frame 7. From the horizontal crossbeams 20aof the frames 20 project the holding brackets 20b respectively definingbetween them a common plane in the respective product tracks 3a, 4a. Theendless transport device 19 further comprises an endless belt 23. Eachbelt 23 lies between two holding brackets 20b of the frames 20,respectively 20' on the outside of the crossbeam 20a, delimits thetransport compartments 18 inwardly and revolves together with the same.

The two link chains 21 and 22 and the frames 20 fastened to their chainlinks run in the upper, respectively lower end segment 2a, respectively2c of the tower over an upper, respectively lower guiding device 24,respectively 25, from one product track into the other. When passing theupper guiding device 24, the frames 20, 20' delimiting the transportcompartments 18 at first fold slightly apart on their outside and thenfold together again. Thereby the products 1, which in the first producttrack 3a lie respectively on the trailing frame 20 of a transportcompartment 18 are transferred to the forerunning frame 20' of thistransport compartment 18, where they lie then in the second producttrack 4a. When passing the upper guiding device 24, the respectiveproduct 1 touches with its margin facing the diving wall 11 the belts 23forming the inner delimitation of the respective transport compartment18. Due to this engagement the product 1 is entrained and transportedwith its downward facing margin by the trailing frame 20 to theforerunning frame 20' of the transport compartment.

From a middle segment 2b of the tower two rectangular housings 26,respectively 27 project outwardly left and right. In the left housing 26a device not closer shown in the drawing for processing, respectivelycooling the air is located. This air flows from the housing 26 into thefrontal vertical air channel 3b of the first zone 3 and dispersesvertically over the entire height of the same. From the frontal verticalair channel 3b the air flows from the side through its air passageopenings 12 into the left transport channel and crosses the firstvertical product track 31 transversely to the travel direction of theproducts. From the left transport channel the air flows through airpassage openings 15 into the rear vertical air channel 3c of the firstzone 3 and from there back again to the housing 26. In the right housing27 a device not closer shown for the processing, respectively cooling ofair is located. This air flows from the housing 27 into the rearvertical air channel 4c of the second zone 4 and disperses verticallytherein over its entire height. From the rear air channel 4c the airflows from the side through its air passage openings 16 into the righttransport channel and crosses the second vertical product track 4atransversely to the travel direction of the products. From the righttransport channel the air flows through the air passage openings 13 intothe frontal vertical air channel 4b of the second zone 4 and from thereback again to the housing 27.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show an embodiment of a horizontally stretched device fortreating starch-based products with air. This device is intended for thecooling of even, flat products. These can be wafer blocks coated on theupper side with a cream layer or other flat products.

In this device the products 28 to be cooled are cooled in a horizontaltransport channel 29 in several product tracks 30 arranged on top ofeach other. The products 28 are introduced in a supply plane 31 into thetransport channel 29 and, in its initial segment 29a, transferred to thesuperimposed product tracks 30 of the middle segment 29b of thetransport channel 29. In the end segment 29c of the transport channel 29they are delivered to a single discharge station 32, which takes theproducts 28 out of the transport channel 29. The supply plane 31 and thetransport plane of the discharge device 32 lie in the same horizontalplane.

The transport channel 29 is arranged in a long-stretched, rectangularhousing 33 between two horizontal air channels 34 and 35 in a zone whichis connected via incoming air lines and outgoing air lines to a coolingaggregate not shown in the drawing and wherein the cooled air from anair channel 35 flows transversely to the travel direction of products 28through the transport channel 29 and its superimposed product tracks 30into the other air channel 34. Between the transport channel 29 and thetwo air channels 34, 35, vertical dividing walls 36, respectively 37running parallel to the travel direction of the products 38 areprovided, which are equipped with air passage openings. These dividingwalls 36, 37 are formed by the bearing walls of the machine framesupporting the housing 33. The two dividing walls 36, 37 areinterconnected by the separate crossbeams of the machine frame arrangedat a distance from each other, transversely to the travel direction ofthe products 28.

The housing 33 consists of heat-insulating plates detachably mounted onthe machine frame and of heat-insulating doors swingably supported onthese plates, respectively on the machine frame. The plates and doorsform an external heat-insulating lining, which borders the upwards anddownwards open transport channel 29 at the top and at the bottom. Eachair channel 34, 35 is delimited towards the inside by dividing walls 36,37 provided with air passage openings. The upper covering wall, thelower bottom wall and the rear wall facing away from the transportchannel 29 of each air channel 34, 35 are formed by the outer lining.

FIG. 10 shows a cross section through a horizontal long-stretched devicefor treating starch-based products with air. This device is designed asa cooling device wherein products 38 are transported through a singlehorizontal product track 39 through a transport channel 40, for instanceby a transport belt or a screen belt. In this embodiment above thetransport channel 40 a horizontal air channel 41 is arranged, which isseparated from the transport channel 40 by its bottom 42 equipped withair passage openings. Underneath the transport channel 40 a further airchannel 43 is arranged, which is separated from the transport channel 40by its cover 44 equipped with air passage openings. The bottom 42 of theupper air channel 41 and the cover 44 of the lower air channel 43 aredesigned as horizontal bearing walls of the machine frame, which areinterconnected by vertical members of the machine frame. In thisembodiment the outer lining supported by the machine frame forms thelateral walls of the transport channel 40 and of the two air channels 41and 43, as well as the cover of the upper air channel 41 and the bottomof the lower air channel 43.

FIG. 11 shows a cross section through a horizontal long-stretched devicefor treating starch-based products with air. This device is designed asa cooling device, wherein the products 45 are transported in a singlehorizontal product track 46 through a horizontal transport channel 47arranged between two lateral air channels 48, 49 of a zone, by means ofa transport belt or screen belt. The two lateral air channels 48, 49 arebordered inwardly towards the transport channel 47 by the bearing walls50, 51 of the machine frame, which are interconnected by horizontalcrossbeams of the machine frame, each being equipped with air passageopenings. Upwards, downwards and outward the two lateral air channels48, 49 are bordered by the outer lining supported by the machine frame,which also outwardly borders the transport channel 47 on its upper sideand on its lower side.

FIGS. 7 to 11 show embodiment examples of a long-stretched device fortreating products with cooled air for cooling products. In order toswitch these embodiment examples to the treatment of products with airfor setting a certain humidity content, it is only required toexternally connect the air channels to an air treatment device, whichheats, humidifies and filters the air to be circulated in the airchannels.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for treating starch-based products inthe form of edible wafer products and biodegradable packaging products,with air for setting a certain humidity content of the products or forcooling the products, the device comprising:a machine frame; an outerlining on said machine frame containing at least one transport devicefor transporting the products in at least one transport channeloutwardly bordered by the outer lining from a charging station to adischarge station in at least one product track through at least onezone, said zone having at least two air channels running at leastpartially parallel to a respective product track, each air channelhaving a channel wall facing the product track and equipped with airpassage openings, whereby in said zone air flows from one air channelthrough the respective product track, transversely to the transportdirection of the products and into the other air channel, each of saidair channels being bordered on the outside by the outer lining; and achannel wall bordering an inside of each air channel, equipped with saidair passage openings and formed by a respective bearing wall of themachine frame, at least two of said bearing walls of the machine framereceiving between them said transport channel containing said producttrack.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein each bearing wall ofthe machine frame forms a wall area of a channel wall of an air channelprovided with air passage openings, and is a smooth wall at least on aside of said wall area facing the respective air channel.
 3. The deviceaccording to claim 2 wherein each of said wall areas is a smooth wall aside facing away from the respective air channel.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein substantially horizontal transport channelcontaining at least one product track is arranged between two bearingwalls of the machine frame which form the channel walls equipped withair passage openings of at least two air channels.
 5. The deviceaccording to claim 4 wherein the horizontal transport channel has twosuperimposed product tracks separated by a horizontal dividing wallwhich interconnects the two bearing walls of the machine frame formingthe channel walls equipped with air passage openings of said airchannels.
 6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the transportchannel contains product tracks arranged one above the other, arespective transport device being provided for each product track. 7.The device according to claim 4 wherein at least. one endless transportdevice extends through two superimposed product tracks in said transportchannel.
 8. The device according to claim 1 wherein an elongated,substantially vertical transport channel is provided and contains saidproduct track is arranged between two of said bearing walls of themachine frame.
 9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the verticaltransport channel has, between two neighboring product tracks, avertical dividing wall which connects the two bearing walls.
 10. Thedevice according to claim 8 wherein at least one endless transportdevice for the products is provided in the vertical transport channeland said endless transport device extends through two neighboringproduct tracks with transport compartments open towards the outsidelining, which on their inner sides are delimited at least by one endlessbelt of the transport device.
 11. The device according to claim 2wherein the bearing walls are massive plates.
 12. The device accordingto claim 11 wherein the massive plates are aluminum plates.
 13. Thedevice according to claim 2 wherein at least in an area where itoutwardly borders the air channels, the outer lining has doors swingablysupported on the machine frame, which in a closed position outwardlydelimit the respective air channel with smooth inner sides of the doors.